Self-adjustable, self-supporting, hanger rod



M y 33- H. .1. MARLOWE SELF ADJUSTABLE, SELF SUPPORTING, HANGER ROD Filed Nov. 9, 1931 gMM a ATTORN EYS m Z y MJ m M W Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT OFFICE HAROLD J. MAELOWE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO IvIARLOWE DEVICES, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWVARE SELF-ADJUSTABLE, SELF-SUZPPORTING, HANGER ROD Application filed November 9, 1931. Serial No. 573,852.

My present invention is concerned with the provision of a hanger rod of the character which is longitudinally extensible and which is self-sustaining when in applied position, requiring no brackets or other supporting fixtures and holding itself in position entirely by its own end thrust against a pair of spaced parallel support surfaces.

This general type of rod is useful as a curtain red, towel bar or removable hanger bar or for divers other purposes where quick applicability and detachability are required, and where opposed supports are available to mount it.

An object of the invention is to provide an extensible bar of this character which is adjustable through a relatively wide range to accommodate itself to varying spaced support surfaces (characteristically to window frames of various sizes.)

Another object is to provide a bar devoid of shoulders or projections upon which the horns of curtains or draperies or other articles may become caught as they are slid along the bar.

Another object is to provide a bar of this character in which the end thrust of the bar against the vertical supporting surface is accomplished effectively without scratching, abrading or otherwise marring such surface.

Another object is to provide a bar substantially self-bracing against bending under the weight of the articles supported thereon regardless of how far it be extended.

Other objects are to provide a device of this character of substantially conventional appearance, of extremely simple practical construction, rugged and durable in use, having all of its adjustment mechanism concealed and protected against bending moments, capable of convenient manipulation and well suited to meet the requirements of economical manufacture.

to one section and coacts with an internally I threaded concealed part of the other section. Upon relative rotation of the rod sections, a powerful screw action is had to contract or extend the rod and to exert a substantial thrust on the ends of the rod and force them into engagement with a supporting surface.

In order to prevent marring the surface against which the rod ends abut, rubber cushioning tips are so connected to the rod sections that the latter are freely rotatable within the tips and the end thrust (which is always accompanied by rotation of one or both of the rod sections) does not take effect as a torque on the tips. In other words, there is no tendency to turn the tips on the surface which they abut and thereby abrade, scratch, soil or otherwise the surface.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in condrawing tional detail illustrating a slight modification of the tip construction.

The rod includes a pair of telescopically connected axially aligned sections 10 and 11. Section 10 includes a solid portion or red about which is welded or otherwise secured one end of a sleeve member 12. Section 11 on the other hand is of hollow tubular conformation and snugly fits within the sleeve portion 12 of the section 10. This sleeve at both ends is of gradually tapering external form as best seen at 13 so that while the center of the rod of slightly greater diameter than the two ends thereof the rod. is completely devoid of sharp shoulders or ridges which would interfere with the slidin g of a curtain or a curtain supporting ring along the rod.

A screw 14 has one end embedded and firmly fixed as at 15 within the solid portion of the rod section, this screw being centered at the axis of the rod section 10, held by a lock nut 15", and projecting into the hollow rod section 11. The latter section is provided with a bushing member 16 welded or otherwise secured in the concealed end thereof and internally threaded for coaction with the screw 1 1. Sleeve 12 and section 10 being ri 'id with each other, if either the sleeve 12 or the rod portion of section 10 is turned with respect to the section 11, the bushing 16 will work along screw 1 1 and cause either extension or contraction of the rod.

Each end of the rod is provided with a rubber tip 1'? having a socket 18 therein to receive the end of the rod section 10 or 11 as the case may be. The comparatively 'tlat ends 19 of these tips which are adapted to abut the supporting window frame sides 20, may be shaped in any desired manner to present effective anti-friction surfaces. A typical thrust surface for one of these tips is illustrated in Fig. 8 consisting of a series of alternately depressed and raised diamondshaped portions.

While the rubber tips themselves are of relatively soft material, it has been found desirable to prevent these members from rotat-ing after they have been moved into abutment with supporting surfaces 20 and 20, and the final turns of the rod are being made to jam the latter firmly in position. With this in view, the bottom of the pocket 18 may be lined with a thrust washer 21 presenting a metal to metal anti-friction contact which will cause the rod sections 10 or 11 as the case may be to turn independently of the rubber tip 17.

If desired, a metal ferrule or cup such as the cup 22 shown in Fig. 1, may be introduced. In either event, it will be obvious that when the tips are thrust against the wall, further turning of the rods will occur independently of the tips and the paintwork or other surface finishing of the supporting walls will not be soiled or marred by grinding the tips against it.

I have thus provided a self-adjustable, self-sustaining bar comprising but few parts, having its adjustment mechanism concealed and protected against bending strains, and a bar which is capable of quick attachment or detachment without marring support surfaces, and without requiring the use of tools or any mechanical ability whatsoever.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described, apparatus in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

1. A curtain rod of the character described including a pair of axially aligned sections, one of said sections being tubular, and the other section including a solid portion and a rigid sleeve fixed to said solid portion and telescoping over the tubular section, a longitudinally extending screw fixed in the solid rod section and means carried by the other section coacting with the screw whereby rotation of one section with respect to the other is effective to adjust the length of the rod through the medium of the screw and bushing.

2. A curtain rod of the character described including a pair or". axially aligned sections, one of said. sections being tubular, and the ther section including a solid portion and a rigid sleeve fixed to said solid portion and telescoping over the tubular section, a longi tudinally extending screw fixed in the solid rod section and a bushing fixed in the tubular section coacting with the screw whereby rotation of one section with respect to the other is effective to adjust the length of the rod through the medium of the screw and bushing, and rubber tips rotatively mounted on the ends of the rod.

3. A curtain rod of the character described including a pair of axially aligned sections, one of said sections being tubular, and the other section including a solid portion and a rigid sleeve fixed to said solid portion and telescoping over the tubular section, a longitudinally extending screw fixed in the solid rod section and a bushing fixed in the hollow section coacting with the screw whereby rotation of one section with respect to the other is effective to adjust the length of the rod through the medium of the screw and bush ing, rubber tips having recesses to receive the ends of the rod and rotatively mounted with respect thereto, and means in the recesses interposed between. the rod ends and the tips and against which the rod ends abut.

4. A curtain rod of the character described including a pair of axially aligned sections, one of said sections being tubular, and the other section including a solid portion and a rigid sleeve fixed to said solid portion and telescoping over the tubular section, a longitudinally extending screw fixed in the solid section, a bushing fixed in the hollow rod section and coacting with the screw whereby rotation of one section with respect to the other is effective to adjust the length of the rod through the medium of the screw and bushing, rubber tips rotatively mounted on the ends of the rod, the sleeve being externally tapered at both ends to facilitate sliding of a supported article along the rod.

5. A longitudinally adjustable sel'fsustaining support rod including a pair of axially aligned rod sections, a rigid tubular sleeve member fitting snugly about said sections and slidably arranged with respect to at least one of them, means connecting said rod sections and permitting relative longitudinal adjustment therebetween, recessed cushioning tips mounted on the ends of the rod and adapted to sustain the end thrust of the rod on the opposed parallel. surfaces that support the rod, and a bearing member interposed between each cushioning tip and the adjacent rod end.

6. A longitudinally adjustable selfsustaining support rod including a pair of axially aligned rod sections, a rigid tubular sleeve member fitting snugly about said sections and slidably arranged with respect to at least one of them, means connecting said rod sections and permitting relative longitudinal adjustment therebetween, recessed cushioning tips rotatably mounted on the ends of the rods, and a non-resilient bearing member positioned in the recess of each tip between the tip and the adjacent end of the rod, whereby the end thrust of the rod on the opposed parallel supporting surfaces is transmitted directly through the cushioning members.

7. A longitudinally adjustable selfsustaining support rod including a. pair of axially aligned rod sections, a rigid tubular sleeve member fitting snugly about said sections and slidably arranged with respect to at least one of them, a concealed threaded member connecting said rod sections to permit relative longitudinal adjustment, recessed cushioning tips mounted on the ends of the rod and adapted to sustain the end thrust of the rod on the opposed parallel surfaces that support the rod, and a bearing member interposed between each cushioning tip and the adjacent rod end.

8. A longitudinally adjustable selfsustaining support rod including a pair of axially aligned rod sections, a rigid tubular sleeve member fitting snugly about said sections and slidably arranged with respect to at least one of them, a threaded member connecting said rod sections to permit relative longitudinal adjustment thereof and concealed by the sleeve member, recessed cushioning tips mounted on the ends of the rod and adapted to sustain the end thrust of the rod on the opposed parallel surfaces that support the rod, and a bearing member interposed between each cushioning tip and the adjacent rod end.

9. A longitudinally adjustable selfsustaining support rod including a pair of axially aligned rod sections, a rigid tubular sleeve member fitting snugly about said sections and slidably arranged with respect to at least one of them, coacting screw threaded parts fixed with respect to said sections to effect longitudinal adjustment thereof and concealed by the sleeve member, recessed cushioning tips mounted on the ends of the rod and adapted to sustain the end thrust of the rod on the opposed parallel surfaces that support the rod, and a bearing member interposed between each cushioning tip and the adjacent rod end.

10. A longitudinal adjustable selfsustaining support rod including a pair of axially aligned rod sections, at least one of which is of tubular construction, a rigid tubular sleeve member fitting snugly about said sections and slidably arranged with respect to at least one of them, an internally threaded bushing positioned in the end of the tubular rod section adapted to receive a threaded member fixed in the other rod section, whereby longitudinal adjustment of the rod sections may be effected by the relative rotation of the same, recessed cushioning tips rotat ably mounted on the ends of the rod, and a non-resilient bearing member positioned in the recess of each tip and adjacent the ends of the rod, whereby the end thrust of the rod on the opposed parallel supporting surfaces is transmitted directly through the cushioning members.

Signed at Brooklyn in the county of Kings and State of New York this 6th day of November A. D. 1931.

HAROLD J. MARLOWE. 

